Topic: Things you like about games you don't.

[Pixelated Pixies]

I think most people will agree that Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 are superb games. As was discussed on the latest episode of RFN, however, there were a handful of missions that undermined an otherwise fantastic experience. I'm of course referring to the infuriating and aptly namely 'Garbage Dumb' levels. These sections of course weren't enough to sink the experience thanks to the overall quality of the games as a whole, but they did stick out like a sore thumb.
 
Which got me to thinking about the flip side: what examples are there of games which I dislike overall but which have features or qualities that I enjoyed greatly?
 
Here are a few that came to mind.
 
Super Paper Mario & Paper Mario: Sticker Star's visual style
 

 
While the original Paper Mario and it's immediate sequel The Thousand Year Door tickled me pink, the next two games in the series were largely disappointing, wallowing as they did in inane dialogue and undercooked mechanics; but boy did they look good!
 
Nightsky's Music
 

The first few levels of Nightsky are so endearing. The visuals are eye-catching, with delicate acoustic guitar sometimes being accompanied by discordant yet relaxing tones, and the levels (like the orb you control) delicately roll from one into the next. The problem for me was that the game never goes anywhere interesting. It was the equivalent of dropping a marble into a bowl, it's fun the first few times you do it but it gets old quick. The one thing that did not get old, however, was the exceptional music, without which I don't think I would have seen Nightsky through to the end.
 

Super Smash Bros' everything (except the game)
 


When I bought Brawl the day it was release I finally resigned myself to the fact that I will never understand the appeal of Smash Bros' gameplay. I just don't get it. I have no doubt there's a hidden depth and complexity there that goes completely over my head, but to me it just feels...too chaotic?...Mashy even? Is that even a word?
 
Anyways, what I have always enjoyed about the series has been the 'everything' that Sakurai puts around the game: the trophies, the stickers, the CG cut scenes, and especially the music. Basically, I enjoy the devotion to fan service, even if I don't exactly enjoy the games themselves.
 
 
What about you? What the are the things you like about the games you don't?

[Mop it up]

The SNES game Vortex is kind of terrible, but it has a pretty awesome soundtrack.

[MagicCow64]

Plok on the SNES has interesting art design and a great soundtrack, but it pretty terrible as a game.

I also have a weird soft spot for Ballz on the 3DO due to the art design:

[Daggmaster]

The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword
I really enjoyed the controls for Skyward Sword and I had an absolute blast while playing through the dungeons. This game is my go to example for showing motion controls that work. The problem though is that Skyward Sword is probably one of the most padded and poorly paced games I've played before in my life. The amount of BS over world quests that artificially lengthen the game make the Triforce quest in Wind Waker seem like a good idea. It's a shame that my favorite game with motion controls is riddled with terrible pacing.

[Ian Sane]

I've been playing a lot of SNES RPGs lately.  I like but they all seem flawed in some way.  Some of them are just dated while sometimes the game is near perfect (Chrono Trigger) but lacks some gameplay element that another game offered (EarthBound's insta-kill of weak enemies and continuous overworld; Super Mario RPG's platforming elements; FFV's job system).  I can't help but feel that if you took the best elements of Square's SNES RPGs and EarthBound you could craft the best 2D RPG ever made.  It feels like the core mechanics of the genre were still being worked out when it went 3D (note the Playstation FF games still having random battles) so we never got the perfected 2D RPG as new improvements and mechanics would go to modern 3D RPGs.

I guess this isn't really things I like about games I don't but rather just pointing out that there is a group of games I like that have some cool elements but none of them bring it all together.  Each one is flawed while also offering some cool ideas.  I can't help but think "if only it had THIS" while playing.